Shipping case



1,523,141 J. R. PULLEN ET AL SHIPPING. CASE Filed May 21, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 10 f J4 a? I [WI/417107;: WKW w/wa f Jan. 13. 1925.

j lli. 1925. 1,523,141

J. R. PULLEN ET AL A SHIPPING CASE Filed May 21, 192-3 3 Sheet s $h e et 2 I J -EN ET AL SHIPPING S 3 Sheec t 3 Filed y 21, 1925 0 mwm /M 00 Q Wd M 7 l I M.

Patented Jan. 13, 1925.

reins.

JOSEPH B. PULLEm orcHIoAeo, AND WILLIAM L. FIENE, or ELivInnnsr, ILLINOIS.

SHIPPING, CASE.

Application filed May 21,

To all whom it may concern:

Be -it known that we, J OSEPI-I R. PULLEN and \VIL IA ,L. FIENE, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, a'ndof the city of Elmhurst, county of Du Page, and State of Illinois, respectively, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Shipping Cases, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in shipping cases, and more particularly to foldabl'e cases for shipping kitchen cabinets and similar enameled or smoothly finished articles of furniture, and its main object is to. provide a secure case for shipping such enameled or smoothly finished cabinets or articles .or parts thereof, without marring or injuring the enamel or finish on such articles, especially that on the front and side. faces. thereof, duringshipment.

In shipping kitchen cabinets and similar articles of furniture the article is generally .enclosed in cardboard or thick paper and then placed in a crate, of rough wood which is loosely constructed. And during such shipping the boards of the crate yield and shift, and the paper is constantly moved to and fro overthe surface of the cabinet,

thereby invariably marring the enamel or similar finish on the cabinet or article requiring retouching of suchmarred parts, which is troublesome and expensive; and furthermore the crates and cardboard containers. are then destroyed and not reused, thus causing additional Waste and expense.

It is our main purpose to provide a dur able and reliable. shipping case for shipping a kitchen cabinet, and especially its upper part, or other partsand articles of furniture without marring their enamel or finish; and which shipping case can be conveniently folded and returned, and be reused for numerous succeeding shipments, thereby entirelyavoiding the necessity of retouching the cabinets upon arrival and therefore greatly reducing the ultimate expense of shipping such articles.

Other objects andadvantages Will become apparent; from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is ,an elevationof our invention, with part of the cover or backing plate 1923. Serial No. 640,529.

broken away to show the rear of a cabinet mounted in the case;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line --2 of Fig. 1;

F ig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on line of Fig. 1, showing the yoke means for holding the cover plate in position;

Fig. at is a top plan view of the case folded for return shipment;

F 5 is an elevational view of the case folded with the cover plate partly broken away; i

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on line 6.6 of Fig. 5. I

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the top member latched in its open position;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary View showing the construction of the lower end of the case, and the bottom member folded upward;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the support and connection between the bottom and the side members.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged section on line 10-10 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged view showing the means for locking the top member in its upright position, as seen in Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 12-12 of Fig. 5.

The preferred form of our invention, which has been illustrated in the drawings,

comprises a main frame member 15, tov

which is foldably or swingably connected a supporting bottom or base member 16 as by means of hinges 17 also a pair of side members 18 with hinges 19 and top member 20 with hinges 21. These members 15, 16, 18 and 20 are preferably constructed from wood in the form of plates or slabs with suitable reinforcing members or posts 15, 16, 18 and 20' respectively at their edges and at proper intermediate portions; but said members may also be constructed of metal, fibre board or any other suitable ma terial properly reinforced, and capable of remaining sufficiently rigid to retain the correct shape without bending and marring the enclosed cabinet or article of furniture-C, which is supported on base member 16. Screw bolts 22, or any suitable means may be used for fastening the reinforcing posts together, and angle irons 23 for bracing the corners, and the plates or slabs may be like, or

fastened with any suitable or approved means and manner on said posts.

Means is provided for fastening the bottom member 16 and the side members 18 together in operative or open position. Said means comprises a pair of angle irons 2 1 fastened to the side members 18 with screws or the like, as best shown in Fig. 9, each angle iron being provided with a rib 24 for engaging in a slot in the reinforcing posts 16 of base member 16. A reinforcing plate 26 is preferable also mounted over said slot. Said fastening means further comprises a pair of latches 27, pivoted to the side members and engaging over pins 28 on the base post 16. These ribs 24-. and latches 27 with pins 28, prevent lateral and vertical move ment between said base member and side members.

' Means is provided for securely holding the top member 20 in an elevated or vertical position to facilitate placing the cabinet or article C in the case. This means as best seen in Figs. 7 and 11 comprises a latch 30 which is pivoted on reinforcing bar 2-0 to the top member 20, and engages in a slot 31 formed in the corner post 15 of the main member 15 and in a latch plate 32 fastened on said corner post. A lug 33 is also provided on the latch to facilitate the withdrawal from the slot 31.

iVe have provided particular means for securely and positively engaging an unfinished (r unpolished part of the cabinet or article of furniture, and firmly and immovably clamping and fastening it in position in the case. This means comprises a plurality of do s or teeth 34 on the under side of the tai member 20, which catch and bite into the customarily unfinished top member C ofthe cabinet or article C which is shipped in this case, said dogs or teeth 34 being preferably in the form of short sharp nails mounted in and protruding from bars 35, which are fastened under the attached posts 20 of the top member with screws 36 or the said teeth may be arranged and mounted in any other suitable manner. Said clamping and fastening means further comprises a rod 37 with a turn buckle 38 or other means to lengthen or shorten the rod, and an eye 39 to attach the rod with a screw eye 10 to the forward bar 20 of member 20. A hook ll at the free end of said rod 37 is arranged to engage in a slot 42 in post 18 and ina plate 13 fastened on said post, and is engaged over a pin 44 mounted in said slot. By engaging hooks 11 over pins 4st and turning the turn buckles 38 the dogs or teeth 34L are drawn into the usually unfinished top C of article C and said article is forced down on the post member 15 and thus firmly held in position Without moving in.

either direction, horizontally or vertically in said case.

The cabinet will be mounted in said case with its finished front turned inward'and with the back outward which isusually left unfinished, and we preferably also provide a backing plateor closing memberao of two.

or three, ply board or of any suitable ma terial to protect the back of said cabinet As best seen in Figs. 3 and 6 this plate is engaged and held in position by yokes 16 with threaded openings engaged by screws 17 rotating in holes. -18 in posts 18 of the side over studs 52 on the posts 15 on t s top and bottom of the main member 15.

These shipping cases are provided in par ticular sizes tosuit the cabinet or articles which are to be shipped therein, and are made slightly larger than the article to provide a space of approximately or more between the enameled or finished front and sides of such cabinet, and the inner walls of the case, and after thearticle has been placed in the case the top member 20 is folded down on the article with the dogs or teeth 34 engaging the unfinished top or any other unfinished part of the article, whereupon the hooks 11 of the rods 37 are engaged over the pins 3 1 and the turn buckles 33 rotated to drive the teeth 3 1 into said unfinished part of the article thereby pressing the opposite side of the article firmly upon the base memberof the case and holding the article positively and firmly in position with its finished sides or portions spaced from the innerv walls of the case. The backing plate or closing member 45 is used and. held in position by means of the yokes 46 which are moved outward to embrace the backing plate by rotating the screws 17.

,When the case with the enclosed article lRUB reached their destination, the article isremoved and the case is folded together and fastened by means of the clasps 51, and the case can then be returned to the shipper of the article, to be used for theyfollowing shipment. V p Y I claim: 1. A shipping case comprising a bottom portion for supporting a cabinet, wall means for surrounding and protecting the adjacent surface of said cabinet, and a top with means for-indenting the adjacent top part of "said cabinet and firmly holding said cabinet in position with allof its vertical walls free and spaced from thesurroundmg side means of saidcase.

2 A case for shipping articlesof furniture, said case comprising a bottom member for supporting one end of said article, surrounding wall members for protecting the sides of said article, a swingable top member with dogs for biting into the adjacent end of said article, and means for drawing and holding said dogs into said end of the article to hold it immovably in said case with its sides spaced from the walls of said case.

3. A case for shipping an article of furniture which has highly finished front and side portions, said case comprising base means for supporting said article, wall means surrounding the finished portions of said article. a member releasably mounted on said wall means to protect the back of said article, and a top with means for engaging into an unfinished portion of said article to hold said article in position, said base means and said top means being the only means which engage said article and positively hold it spaced from the walls of sald case.

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4. A case for shipping an article of furniture, which has highly finished front and side portions, said case comprising base means for supporting said article, wall means surrounding the finished portions of said article, a member removably mounted on said wall means to protect the back of said article. an openable top with means for biting into an unfinished portion of said article, and means for forcing said biting means into said unfinished portion to hold said article fixed in said case.

5. A case for shipping an article of furniture with highly finished front and side portions, said case comprising base means for supporting said article, wall means surrounding the vertical side portions of said article, a top with means for engaging into an unfinished portion of said article, and means for opening said top and releasing said engaging means, or for lowering said top and forcing said engagingmeans into said unfinished portion to hold said article rigidly in position with its finished portion spaced from the walls of said case.

6. A case for shipping cabinets, said case comprising a main frame member with top, bottom, and side members swingably hinged to said main frame member for either folding the same thereon, or for extending the same therefrom to receive a cabinet therein, bracket means with ridges for retaining said bottom between said side members, means to draw said top down on said side members, and means on said top for denting the top of a cabinet to hold it fixed in said case, and spaced from said main member and said side members.

7. A case for shipping cabinets, said case comprising a main frame member with top, bottom and side members attached to said main member with means for folding said members together, means'for holding said top extended above said main member to receive a cabinet in said case. means for adjustably fastening said top down on a cabinet, brackets retaining said bottom and side members in position, and a detachable backing member held in position by said case when said case is open or when it is folded.

8. A case for shipping cabinets, said case comprising a main frame member with side members foldably attached thereto, a back ing member mountable in said side members, and yoke means, movable into and out of said side members for engaging and holding said backing member in position.

9. A case for shipping articles of furniture, said case comprising a main frame member. vith top, bottom and side members hingedly mounted thereon, means for holding said members in open position to mount a cabinet therein, including bracket means for retaining said bottom to said side members, and adjustable means for holding said top on said side members and hook means for fastening said side, top and bottom members firmly in folded position for return shipment of said case.

10. A case for shipping an article of furniture, said case comprising a main frame member with top, bottom and side members hingedly mounted thereon, means for holding said members in open position to mount a cabinet therein and including means for adjustably forcing the top down into clamping engagement with the article.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

JOSEPH R. PULLEN. WILLIAM L. FIENE. 

